


In the Line of Fire

by hannahbanana



Series: In the Line of Fire [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Hurt Dean, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Police!Dean, Police!Jo, Protective Cas, teacher!Cas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-05
Updated: 2013-04-05
Packaged: 2017-12-07 12:37:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/748582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannahbanana/pseuds/hannahbanana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cas is just having a normal day at work when he receives some bad news.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Line of Fire

Castiel's day was fine.  
The sky was clear, his second graders were beginning to grasp the concept of fractions, and his boyfriend would be home that night after a twelve hour shift. So yes, Castiel's day was going just fine, thank you very much. It was just a typical, average day, and he was perfectly okay with that.  
That's why Castiel never would have expected the knock that came on his classroom door around one in the afternoon.  
~  
"And when you add them together, the number on the bottom-"  
The sharp rap on the door startled both Castiel and his young students, who instantly began to whisper among themselves as the door swung open, revealing a confused looking Kevin Tran.  
"Keep working on your sheets" Castiel instructed as he made his way across the room, towards Kevin. The second graders, naturally, utterly ignored his request.  
"Kevin, what's wrong?" he inquired, keeping his voice low as to not disrupt the rabidly curious students.  
"I'm not quite sure, but you're wanted in the office. I'm supposed to cover for you for now" Kevin replied, looking bewildered. Castiel cocked his head to the side. This was worrying. The last time a teacher had been pulled from his class, it had been to tell elderly Mrs. Howard that her husband had finally kicked the bucket. Castiel turned back to his class.  
"All right, I have to run out for a few minutes. Be good for Mr. Tran!"  
Patting Kevin on the shoulder, Castiel made his way out of the classroom and walked briskly down the hall. What could be wrong? He hadn't maintained contact with his parents after he came out to them, all of his siblings were in fine health, and Dean was at work. Nothing was wrong with Dean, was it? Castiel quickly dismissed the thought from his head. Dean was smart. His job may be dangerous, but he wouldn't get hurt, right? Dean was far too careful to get hurt. Castiel clung to that thought like a lifeline, refusing to believe anything to the contrary. Finally, he ended up at the office.  
Castiel knocked on the headmaster, Michael's, door, before sticking his head in. "You wanted to see me, sir?"  
Michael waved him in, a grim look on his face. "Ah, yes. Mr. Novak. I'm afraid we've just received a call from the hospital."  
Castiel felt as if his heart had stopped. The blood drained from his face, and he clutched the back of the chair in front of him for support. "Regarding whom?" he whispered, terrified to hear the answer.  
Michael pursed his lips. "I'm so very sorry, Castiel. They want you to come immediately. Dean Winchester has just been admitted to the Emergency Room, and it seems you're at the top of his emergency contact list."  
The world tilted around Castiel. His legs felt like jelly, his knees seconds away from giving out. He felt as if he were going to be violently sick. Dean was hurt. Invincible, strong, smart Dean was in the hospital. The emergency room. His Dean. And Castiel was not there.  
"I need to go, now" he spat, already running from the office. Castiel sprinted through the building, navigating the twisting halls in a dream like state. His mind was still processing the information. Dean was in pain, bleeding. Castiel's mind conjured up image after image of his boyfriend in various situations; trapped in the throes of agony, in a deep and irreversible coma, missing limbs, already dead...there was no end to the horrific possibilities.  
When Castiel next became aware of where he was, he was in his car, racing down the highway at a speed far, far higher than the limit, but Castiel couldn't bring himself to care. The only thought on his mind was Dean.  
Finally, Castiel reached the hospital. He slammed his car into park, threw himself out the door, and raced into the tall, intimidating building. Completely ignoring the queue of people in front of the check in desk, he barged to the front of the line, slamming his hands down on the varnished wood.  
"Dean Winchester. Where is he. I need to see him, now."  
The young receptionist jumped and looked up at him, blinking nervously. "Um, sir, I'm sorry, I'm going to need you to go to the back of the line and wait your turn."  
"No!" yelled Castiel. "I'm not moving! Tell me where the fuck he is or I swear to God I'll-"  
"Cas!"  
Castiel swung around at the yell, seeing a battered Jo, stained with blood and tears, come tearing around the corner.  
"Cas! Stop! Come with me!" she looked over at the flustered receptionist and agitated line apologetically. "I'm sorry, he's with me." With that, she took his hand and pulled him deeper into the hospital.  
"Jo! What happened? Please, is Dean okay? Where is he? I need to see him, now."  
Jo pulled him over to a bank of chairs, collapsing into one, and motioning for him to do the same. Castiel stared at her in disbelief. How could she sit? How could she relax? Dean was hurt, and she was just sitting there!  
Jo saw his agitation, and reached up, physically pulling him down beside her. Suddenly she looked exhausted. "There's no use, Cas. We can't see him now. He's in surgery."  
Castiel froze. Surgery. Dean was in surgery. Strangers were right now cutting him open.  
"Excuse me." he said, calmly standing up and walking into the bathroom right across the hall, where he proceeded to violently empty the contents of his stomach. He then returned to his seat next to Jo. "Now explain. What. Happened."  
Jo burst into tears. "It's all my fault! We had a drug bust, and we thought we had everyone! I...I told him we had everyone!" She buried her head in her hands, her thin shoulders shaking under her stiff, stained, police issued uniform. Castiel placed an arm around her shoulders pulling her close, comforting her like he would one of his students, completely in autopilot. His mind was busy processing this new information. Dean had been injured at a drug bust. Drug dealers had guns. Lots of them. Dean had a tendency to be a hero. His stomach twisted itself into knots.  
Castiel gently shook Jo. "What happened next? Jo? I need you to tell me what happened next."  
Jo pulled her head away from his shoulder, furiously scrubbing her eyes. "A...A guy. He jumped out of the building. He had a gun. He...he was going to shoot me. Dean stepped in front of me. He...Dean got shot. Twice. And it's all my fault."  
The next thing Castiel knew, he was retching over the toilet once again.  
~  
The next few hours passed agonizingly slowly. At least, Castiel thought it was hours. It could have been minutes, or seconds, or years. But he thought it was hours. Finally, a door at the end of the hall opened, and a young woman wearing pastel blue scrubs stepped through, her mask hanging limply around her neck. Castiel had been pacing before, but the instant the door opened, he was at her side.  
The woman looked up at him. "Are you here for Dean Winchester?"  
Castiel's throat stuck. He nodded mutely.  
The woman smiled. "He's going to be just fine. His surgery went well, we got both the bullets out and repaired any major damage. We just brought him to room 318-you can go see him if you like"  
Castiel was racing down the hall before she had finished speaking. He could vaguely hear Jo thanking the woman over and over again behind him, but his only objective was to get to Dean as quickly as possible. Finally, he reached the closed door to room 318.  
He pushed it open, quickly turning and shutting it behind him. Then, steeling himself, Castiel turned around to face his boyfriend.  
Dean lay on the bed, unconscious. He had a thick bandage wrapped around his shoulder, and another around his ribs. An IV drip was connected to his wrist, and the right side of his face had a long scratch down the side with butterfly bandages holding it closed. Dean's normally tan face was pale, and he looked thin and weak, connected to several machines. Castiel was across the room in seconds, pulling a chair up beside the bed and grabbing Dean's hand in a tight grip. He pressed his face to Dean's palm, trying, and failing, to hold back tears.  
"Dammit, Dean" he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut. Behind him, the door clicked open.  
"He's fine, Jo. Come back later." Castiel said monotonously, without looking.  
"But..."  
"Go call Sam, Jo. I just-" Castiel's voice broke. "Just go call Sam. Please."  
The door quietly shut again.  
Castiel didn't know how long he sat there, clutching Dean's hand, tears silently making their way down his face, before Dean began to stir. First a finger twitched in Castiel's iron grip, then another, until he squeezed back weakly, his eyes flickering open. Dean smirked softly.  
"Hey, baby"  
Then he winced. "Ow, god dammit."  
That was the last straw for Castiel. He drew himself up. "You complete and utter idiot."  
A look of confusion crossed Dean's face. "What-"  
"You moron. You imbecile. You childish, heroic assbutt. You could have died! You could be lying dead right now. Damn it, Dean, you could have fucking died!" Castiel cried, pacing around the room. With a small "oof" of effort and pain, Dean lunged forward, grabbing his hand and reeling him back in, next to his bed. Castiel broke, tears once again slipping down his cheeks.  
"Shh Cas, look, I'm okay. See baby? I'm perfectly fine. Just a little banged up, that's all." Dean pulled Castiel's arm until he climbed onto the thin hospital bed, curling himself carefully around Dean. Castiel leaned his head against Dean's uninjured shoulder.  
"You could have died" he whispered again, closing his eyes tightly.  
"But I didn't" Dean murmered, dropping a kiss into Cas' rumpled hair. "I'm just a little worse for the wear. Is Jo alright?"  
Cas nodded. "Jo's fine"  
Dean smiled. "Good."  
"You know you don't always have to be the hero"  
Dean sighed. "Yeah, I do. It's my job." Castiel snuggled closer to him, careful not to jostle any of his injuries.  
"Dean?"  
"Yeah, Cas?"  
"You're not an idiot"  
Dean chuckled. "Yeah I am, baby. It's part of my charm."  
Castiel laughed, burying his face into Dean's neck.  
"Love you, Dean"  
"You too"  
"I swear to God, if you ever scare me like that again I will cut your balls off with a rusty spoon"  
"No you won't, you like my balls too much"  
Cas rolled his eyes. "Fine. But I will kill you. "  
"Fair enough."

~fin~


End file.
